Townsend Bourne

Firm/Organization: Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP

Blogs: Eye On Privacy, FCC Law Blog, Government Contracts & Investigations Blog, Labor & Employment Law Blog

Latest Articles

Government Contracts & Investigations Blog

CISA Releases “Cyber Essentials” to Assist Small Businesses

By Jonathan E. Meyer, Townsend Bourne & *Nikole Snyder

November 25, 2019

On November 6, 2019, the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”), Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (“CISA”) released its Cyber Essentials guide. Consistent with the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, these Cyber Essentials provide “a starting point to cyber readiness,” and are specifically aimed at small businesses and local government agencies that may have fewer resources to dedicate to cybersecurity.…

Government Contracts & Investigations Blog

The True Impact of the Chinese Telecom Ban on Government Contractors

By Jonathan Aronie & Townsend Bourne

November 25, 2019

As you probably know, we have been following very closely developments relating to Section 889 of the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which prohibits executive agencies from purchasing restricted products and services from certain Chinese telecommunications companies (including Huawei and ZTE) and also from working with contractors that use such products. Jonathan Aronie was one of the featured panelists at the well-attended General Services Administration (GSA) Section 889 industry event on November 6, 2019,…

Eye On Privacy

CISA Releases “Cyber Essentials” to Assist Small Businesses

By Jonathan E. Meyer, Townsend Bourne & *Nikole Snyder

November 12, 2019

The Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency recently released its Cyber Essentials guide. Consistent with the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, these Cyber Essentials provide “a starting point to cyber readiness,” and are specifically aimed at small businesses and local government agencies that may have fewer resources to dedicate to cybersecurity. The guide suggests a holistic approach for managing cyber risks, and is broken down into six “Essential Elements of a Culture of…

Government Contracts & Investigations Blog

GSA Implements Restrictions on Certain Chinese-Made Telecommunications Services and Equipment

By Jonathan E. Meyer, Townsend Bourne, David Gallacher & Bryce Chadwick

September 27, 2019

On September 9, 2019, the U.S. General Services Administration (“GSA”) announced it would be issuing a mass modification (expected sometime this month)[1] requiring all new and existing GSA Multiple Award Schedule (“MAS”) contracts include two new clauses. The new clauses come in response to Section 889 of the FY2019 National Defense Authorization Act (“NDAA”), and recently implemented FAR provisions, which impose prohibitions relating to the procurement of certain Chinese telecommunications equipment and services (which…

Government Contracts & Investigations Blog

Effective Last Month! – DoD’s Implementation of New FAR Prohibitions on Chinese Telecommunications Equipment and Services in Government Contracts

By Jonathan E. Meyer, Townsend Bourne & David Gallacher

September 5, 2019

We recently wrote about the FAR Council’s release of an interim rule implementing restrictions on procurements involving certain Chinese telecommunications hardware manufacturers and service providers, such as Huawei and ZTE. The interim rule creates a new FAR Subpart 4.21, as well as two new contract clauses, FAR 52.204-24 and 52.204-25, which were effective August 13, 2019. These restrictions apply not only to prime contractors, but also to all subcontractors and throughout the supply chain. Concurrent…

FCC Law Blog

Effective Immediately! – FAR Amended to Include Prohibition on Chinese Telecommunications Equipment and Services in Government Contracts

By Townsend Bourne, David Gallacher & Jonathan E. Meyer

August 16, 2019

In accordance with Section 889(a)(1)(A) of the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (Pub. L. No. 115-232) (the “2019 NDAA”), which required imposition of broad restrictions on procurements involving certain Chinese telecommunications hardware manufacturers such as Huawei Technologies Co. and ZTE Corp within one year, the FAR Council has released an interim rule implementing these restrictions. Today, the FAR Council released Federal Acquisition Circular 2019-05 (84 Fed. Reg. 40,216), creating a new FAR Subpart 4.21, as…

Government Contracts & Investigations Blog

Effective Immediately! – FAR Amended to Include Prohibition on Chinese Telecommunications Equipment and Services in Government Contracts

By Townsend Bourne, David Gallacher & Jonathan E. Meyer

August 13, 2019

In accordance with Section 889(a)(1)(A) of the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (Pub. L. No. 115-232) (the “2019 NDAA”), which required imposition of broad restrictions on procurements involving certain Chinese telecommunications hardware manufacturers such as Huawei Technologies Co. and ZTE Corp within one year, the FAR Council has released an interim rule implementing these restrictions. On August 13, the FAR Council released Federal Acquisition Circular 2019-05 (84 Fed. Reg. 40,216), creating a new FAR Subpart…

Government Contracts & Investigations Blog

Cyber Update: DoD Contractor Cybersecurity Certification and 33 New Enhanced Controls to Combat the Advanced Persistent Threat

By Townsend Bourne

June 26, 2019

The Government remains intensely focused on how best to protect its Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) once it is released to contractors. In a shift from its initial approach of “we will take the contractor’s word for it,” the Department of Defense (DoD) announced in June 2019 it is in the process of developing a new cybersecurity certification program for its contractors, which will involve using third party auditors to validate contractor compliance with required security…

Eye On Privacy

Feds Want New IoT Guidance to Address Security Vulnerabilities

By Townsend Bourne & Elfin Noce

May 22, 2019

“Internet of Things” devices are listening. And now the federal government is taking notice. As we reported in our Government Contracts and Investigations blog, to date, federal cybersecurity regulations for government contractors focus on implementing safeguards to protect sensitive government data. A gap has emerged where the federal government purchases IoT devices. Those devices collect and send data online, and are thus are susceptible to hacking and listening in. Proposed legislation recently introduced in both the Senate (…

Government Contracts & Investigations Blog

New Executive Order To Further Restrict Business with Huawei and Other Foreign Adversaries Engaged in Cyber Espionage

By Jonathan E. Meyer, Townsend Bourne & Bryce Chadwick

May 20, 2019

On May 15, 2019, President Trump issued an Executive Order (“EO”) targeting activities of certain foreign telecommunications companies based in hostile countries. Entitled “Securing the Information and Communications Technology and Services Supply Chain,” the EO declares a national emergency based on a Presidential finding that “foreign adversaries are increasingly creating and exploiting vulnerabilities in information and communications technology and services … in order to commit malicious cyber-enabled actions” rising to the level of…

Townsend Bourne

CISA Releases “Cyber Essentials” to Assist Small Businesses

The True Impact of the Chinese Telecom Ban on Government Contractors

CISA Releases “Cyber Essentials” to Assist Small Businesses

GSA Implements Restrictions on Certain Chinese-Made Telecommunications Services and Equipment

Effective Last Month! – DoD’s Implementation of New FAR Prohibitions on Chinese Telecommunications Equipment and Services in Government Contracts

Effective Immediately! – FAR Amended to Include Prohibition on Chinese Telecommunications Equipment and Services in Government Contracts

Effective Immediately! – FAR Amended to Include Prohibition on Chinese Telecommunications Equipment and Services in Government Contracts

Cyber Update: DoD Contractor Cybersecurity Certification and 33 New Enhanced Controls to Combat the Advanced Persistent Threat

Feds Want New IoT Guidance to Address Security Vulnerabilities

New Executive Order To Further Restrict Business with Huawei and Other Foreign Adversaries Engaged in Cyber Espionage

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